Improved floor-clamp



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

`DANIEL PEOPLES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T() HIMSELF AND JOHN PEOPLES, OFSAME PLAGE.

lMPRovED FLooa-CLAM P.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 0,727, dated November 24, 1863.

, had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists of a frame with two hooked rods, in combination with a nut and screw, or their equivalents, the whole being constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as described hereinafter, and forming a cheap, simple, and handy instrument for pressing tlooringboards together prior to securing them to the joists.

In order to enable others to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation.

On reference to the accompanying drawings, which form apart of this specification, Figure 1 is a Vside View ofV my improved floor-clamp, and Fig. 2 a sectional plan of the same.

A represents a joist, and B B the flooringboards to be pressed together, edge to edge, before they are secured to the joist.

C is a pedestal or frame, arranged to rest on the joist, and to the lower portion of this frame are secured the pins D D, to which are hung the two arms E and E', one on one side and the other on the opposite side of the frame. rIhese arms are loosely connected together at the upper end by a pin, a, and are hooked at the lower end, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. A screw, F, passes freely through the frame, and has threads adapted to internal threads in the nut or sleeve G, which is contained within the frame, and which has abevelwheel, e, gearing into a similar wheel, j', on a vertical shaft, H, which turns in a projection,

t', of the frame, and which is furnished with a suitable handle, j. One end of the screw is l furnished witha vloose head, m, which bears against the boards B.

In using my improved floor-clamp the frame isin the first instance placed on the joist A, at a suitable distance from the boa-rds, and the arms E and E are arranged in the angular position illustrated in Fig. 1, so that their hooked ends shall catch underneath the joists. The handle j is then turned, causing the nnt Gr to revolve and the screw to be moved in the direction of the arrow, the loose head m bearing` againstthe edge of the board.

It will be evident that the greater the force applied to move the screw F in the direction of the arrow, the firmer will be the hold of the hooked ends of. the arms E and E on the joists, and the more firmly will the frame be bound to the joists to resist the pressure ofthe screw against the boards. After the desired pressure has been obtained the handlejis so turned that the screw will be moved in a direction contrary to that pointed out by the arrow, when the arms Eand E are readily de tached from the joists, and the apparatus removed to another joist, prior to being again applied in the manner described.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The frame G audits hooked arms E and E', in combination with the screw F and nut G, or their equivalents, the whole being constructed, arranged, and operatingsubstantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of l two subscribing witnesses.

l). K. PEOPLES. Witnesses:

WILLIAM P. THoMAs, DAVID THOMAS. 

